


The Wolf and the Sparrowhawk

by RavenclawProngs



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M, Spirit Animals, do not copy to another site
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-16 21:22:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29214111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RavenclawProngs/pseuds/RavenclawProngs
Summary: Not everyone finds their soulmate, even with the embodiment of that person's spirit walking (or flying) beside them (the less said about fish spirits the better).Jaskier is determined to meet his own, though, even if he has to meet every old man and wizened crone in the world.  After all, who else could possibly be his soulmate, when all Jaskier's life, a white wolf has dogged his steps?
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 11
Kudos: 181





	The Wolf and the Sparrowhawk

**Author's Note:**

> I got the idea for this after seeing a picture someone drew of Jaskier and Geralt's spirit animals taking a nap together. I'd add a link, but I have completely lost track of it in the months since getting the idea and actually posting this.

For as long as Jaskier can remember, Buttercup has padded along beside him, reassuring and virtually silent. His mother likes to tell the story of how she knew when he was about to be born even before the contractions started because a huge albino wolf pressed his cold nose to her stomach.

Privately, Jaskier scoffs at this. Buttercup is no albino; his fur may be white, but his eyes are an ordinary wolf-gold. Given that, it seems obvious that his soulmate must be much older, hair already gone pure white; no human had yellow eyes after all. Perhaps his soulmate will be a mentor figure.

To that end, he seeks out every elder he can and tries to befriend them. He learns many interesting things from them, but not the identity of his soulmate.

He goes to Oxenfurt at fourteen, lute on his back and Buttercup by his side. While there, he finds not everyone is as encouraging about his prospects as his mother and the village elders. Valdo insists his soulmate will die of old age before they ever meet. Marietta frets that a wolf spirit animal means that his soulmate will be vicious and aloof. He can ignore Marietta’s concerns easily--for as much as such worrying might hold true for a lone wolf, there have always been the shades of other wolves around Buttercup any time Jaskier had found himself alone in the dark, or running through twilit trees or houses. Whoever Jaskier’s soulmate is, they have others they hold dear. They have a pack.

Valdo’s taunting is harder for him to dismiss. How can he, after all, when he has always assumed he will find his soulmate in a much older person? Not everyone ever _finds_ their soulmate, even among the well-traveled.

In his darker moments, Jaskier feels the cold hand of Destiny wrap around his throat, stealing his voice. Somehow, he always finds himself at Buttercup’s side at those times, even when the wolf is asleep. Curling his fingers into the thick fur of his ruff helps ground him, unstoppers his throat enough for him to breathe again. Sometimes he’s left shaken enough that gut-wrenching sobs wrack his frame and he dampens Buttercup’s fur with his tears. Those times, Buttercup will huff at him, but he never pulls away. Jaskier will apologize for getting him wet, once he’s calmed down, only to receive another canine huff in response.

At eighteen, Jaskier sets off to find his fortune and hopefully his soulmate, ingratiating himself to as many white-haired matrons and patriarchs as he could. In Rinde, for the first time, he encounters someone his own age who possesses hair light enough to mirror Buttercup’s.

The Countess de Stall has lovely green eyes and tresses of such a shimmering platinum blonde that they glow like moonlight in the middle of the day. At once, Jaskier is struck with the realization he might have been wrong after all, and perhaps his soulmate _is_ a love match.

Alas, it is not to be; he soon realizes the serpent coiled around the Countess’ lovely shoulders was not merely an exotic pet, but her soulmate’s spirit animal. Interesting though a python may be, Jaskier was neither healer or mage, and didn’t really feel any kinship to the animal. If that wasn’t enough, its black scales and almost grey eyes were clearly no match for any of his own features, so it was unlikely he would find his calling in either profession later in life. Or, at least not at her side.

Once again left with his quest for both his muse and his soulmate, Jaskier still couldn’t help the bubble of hope in his chest. Perhaps his soulmate would not be so old as to leave him early, after all.

Despite looking for his soulmate with new eyes, he still finds himself with ill luck in both that goal, and his quest for a proper muse. Until he hears of the Butcher of Blavikin.

And his pure white hair.

The tale he is told is impressive, though sadly lacking in details. What could have brought such corruption in Blavikin that a Witcher would kill humans? Whatever it is, it would surely make quite the ballad, if he should chance to meet this Geralt of Rivia. And perhaps he’ll find more than a song when he meets him.

He finds himself musing aloud on the prospect one night, and is shocked and offended by the guffawing laughter he is met with, especially as it is followed by the assurance that no Witcher could be his soulmate, as Witchers didn’t have souls.

It only steels Jaskier’s resolve to meet a Witcher, any Witcher at all, if only to also meet their soulmate’s spirit animal and prove this drunken lout wrong. One fine day at the edge of Posada, he is afforded his chance, and seizes it with both hands.

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea where to go with this story from here, but feel free to use it as a jumping off point. (Drop me a link in the comments? I'd love to read it if you take this idea somewhere!)


End file.
